Have a safe day!

Tuesday, Oct. 2

10:30 a.m.
Research Techniques Seminar - Curia II
Speaker: Stan Majewski, West Virginia University
Title: Particle Physics' Contribution to Dedicated Innovative Brain PET Imagers

3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over

THERE WILL BE NO ACCELERATOR PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR TODAY

Wednesday, Oct. 3

3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over

4 p.m.
Fermilab Colloquium - One West
Speaker: Sankar Das Sarma, University of Maryland
Title: Computing with Quantum Knots: Majorana Modes, Non-Abelian Anyons, and Topological Quantum Computation

Click here for NALCAL,
a weekly calendar with links to additional information.

Upcoming conferences

Take Five

Extended forecast
Weather at Fermilab

Secon Level 3

Flags at full-staff

Tuesday, Oct. 2

Wilson Hall Cafe Menu

Wednesday, Oct. 3
Lunch
- Roast pork with apple salsa
- Roasted autumn squashes
- Braised red cabbage
- Plum tart with cream Chantilly

Friday, Oct. 5
Dinner
- Vol-au-vents with mushroom duxuelle
- Grilled duck breast with lingonberry sauce
- Wild rice
- Brussels sprouts with bacon and lemon
- Profiteroles with brandied pears and chocolate sauce

Chez Leon Menu
Call x3524 to make your reservation.

Fermilab Today

Director's Corner

Result of the Week

CMS Result

Physics in a Nutshell

Tip of the Week

User University Profiles

Related content

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www.fnal.gov/today/

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One minute with Brad Tennis, Accelerator Division mechanical technician

Brad Tennis, AD, works on the beamline components in the Main Injector. Photo: Reidar Hahn

This the first in a series of occasional profiles of Fermilab's employees. If there's an employee you'd like to see profiled in an upcoming issue of Fermilab Today, please email today@fnal.gov.

How long have you been working at Fermilab?

I've been here 10-and-a-half years.

Describe a typical workday.

Right now I'm working on the recycler in the Main Injector and will continue with that until the shutdown is complete next year. Every day I'm in the tunnel baking out the ring, which means heating all of the beamline components to a very high temperature to remove things that hold up the vacuum pressure, such as water. The less water in the system, the better the vacuum.

After the shutdown, I'll probably go back to my normal job working on ultra-high, particulate-free vacuum systems, which includes superconducting RF cavities. This also includes using and maintaining an ultra-pure water system. When you're working with ultra-high particulate-free vacuums, clean is kind of a big deal.

What's the best part of your job?

There is always something new to learn at Fermilab – if not new technology, then a new procedure. If you are open to learning, working here can be a very, very rewarding experience.

How did you become interested in science?

Mr. Wizard on Nickelodeon. Starting in kindergarten, I would wake up at 5 in the morning just to watch him crush paint cans with vacuum. Since then, I have been fascinated with everything related to science.

What's next for Brad Tennis?

My goal is to become an engineer. I recently earned an associate's degree in electronics technology at Waubonsee College by taking classes at night. Right now I'm looking for a bachelor's degree program that will work with my schedule at Fermilab.

—Deb Sebastian

Changes to janitorial service in effect

Reduced cleaning services at Fermilab began on Oct. 1. These changes are taking place in many laboratory locations. Those that are currently receiving services from other sources, such as the Village residences, will not be affected by this change.

In general, laboratory cleaning services have been reduced from five days per week to three days per week, but service to some low-occupancy areas has been eliminated. Additional changes will take place beginning on Jan. 1, 2013.

Laboratory management will initiate a new solicitation in spring 2013. It hopes to be able to restore some of these services at some point as may be needed.

If you have further questions, please contact your building management.

President signs bill extending federal funding for six months

From FYI: The AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News, Sept. 28, 2012

Continued operations of the federal government are assured with the signature of President Barack Obama on a bill passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress that largely maintains current funding levels through March 27, 2013. The President signed the bill today; the new fiscal year starts on Monday, Oct. 1.

Enactment of this legislation is a good news/bad news story. On one hand, it demonstrates cooperation between Democratic and Republican Members of Congress. Passage of this bill avoided the shutdown or near-shutdown of the federal government experienced in previous years. At the same time, this stop gap bill is further evidence of the breakdown of much of the appropriations process. The House Appropriations Committee approved eleven of twelve appropriations bills, as did the Senate Appropriations Committee. But only six of the House bills were passed on the floor, and none of the Senate bills saw floor action. Despite expressed intentions earlier this year that at least some of the appropriations bills would be passed before the start of the new fiscal year, a variety of political factors prevented even a single bill from being enacted.

Read more

On vacation

Fermilab Director Pier Oddone is on vacation. The Director's Corner will return next week.

Monday morning sunrise

Three Fermilab employees captured the morning sun through their camera lenses Monday morning as it rose over the laboratory grounds... Photo: Carl Lundberg, AD

...behind Broken Symmetry... Photo: Chip Edstrom, AD

...and peeking through the Proton Pagoda. Photo: Greg Vogel, AD

Constructing walls of three attached structures for LArTF cylinder

Workers assemble precast wall sections for the loading dock area attached to the LArTF building. Photo: Dixon Bogert, AD

Whittaker Construction Company, contracted to construct the Liquid-Argon Test Facility, and their subcontractor, Mid States Concrete Industries Company of South Beloit, Ill., have assembled the precast wall panels for the three attached structures adjacent to the main cylindrical building. The precast pieces were made in South Beloit, Ill., and trucked to the Fermilab site. A large crane lifted each piece off the delivery trucks and held it while it was braced and then welded into position.

The particular piece shown being moved on the crane is approximately 24.5 feet tall and 10 feet wide. The 12-inch-thick piece is actually a "sandwich" of 6 inches of concrete, 3 inches of insulation and a 3-inch concrete face panel. This piece weighs approximately 14 tons. The walls for the three attached structures were erected in two days on Sept. 19 and 20.

Director's volunteer award nomination deadline and reception date

In yesterday's In Brief on the director's volunteer award, we ran incorrect dates for the award nomination deadline and the reception date.

The Education Office will take nominations until Oct. 19, and this year's reception will take place on Oct. 25. The original article now states the correct dates.

Main site ICW flushing - through Oct. 5

Abri Credit Union's Shred, Recycle & Donate Event in Romeoville - Oct. 6

Heartland Blood Drive - Oct. 8-9

The Eerie Silence: E.T., Where Are You? - Oct. 12

In the Footsteps of Django - Oct. 27

Accelerate to a Healthy Lifestyle update

Applications being accepted for Wilson Fellowship

Mac users: upcoming changes to VPN client software

Discussion of the views of Sam Harris on religion

Professional development courses

Atrium work updates